Credit: DisneyWalt Disney World Resort will implement stringent changes for all guests, effective tomorrow.
Disney World has changed a lot since its 1971 debut. What started with Magic Kingdom has expanded to EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, plus over 20 hotels for guests to stay close to the magic.
Until now, guests have been able to move around the resort with pretty much unrestricted freedom. Disney’s monorail takes guests between Magic Kingdom or EPCOT and the Transportation and Ticket Center, with the Resort Line stopping at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort along the way. Meanwhile, Disney’s bus system also transports guests from each hotel to the parks, plus Disney Springs.
But starting tomorrow, Disney is cracking down on who can access this transportation and when ā and it might just be the beginning of a wider range of access restrictions.
New Disney World Rules Begin Tomorrow
From June 28, Disney World will restrict transportation from Disney Springs.
Guests boarding a bus or boat from Disney Springs must present a valid Disney Resort hotel room key, MagicBand, or proof of a Dining or Enchanting Extras reservation.
Guests with a valid Disney Resort hotel reservation can still use Disney Resort Hotel bus service and the Sassagoula River Cruise boats, which connect Disney Springs with Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort ā Riverside, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort ā French Quarter. Nothing changes for visitors staying on Disney property.
Those with a dining reservation or an Enchanting Extras booking ā such as a spa treatment at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa ā may also use the relevant buses or boats beginning two hours before their reservation.
Disney said: “Disney Transportation from Disney Springs is intended for Guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel or visiting one with a valid Dining or Enchanting Extras reservation. This helps keep our Disney Transportation running smoothly and allows us to deliver the best possible experience for our Disney Resort Hotels Guests.”
For now, these changes only impact Disney Springs transportation. However, guests fear additional rules in the future.
When announcing this year’s holiday resort decorations, Disney included the following clarification: “For guests staying at the resorts or for those with valid dining reservations, the Disney Resorts Collection offers a wide array of bright and merry holiday decor.” In other words, resort hopping to see each park’s decorations may be a no-go.
Although Disney has long discouraged visitors from using resort parking simply to explore hotel grounds, the updated transportation policy could indicate a broader effort to limit access to resort hotels to overnight guests and those with confirmed reservations.
That would mark a notable shift for visitors who have long treated Disney’s hotels as free destinations in their own right, whether to admire seasonal decorations, dine, shop, or simply explore.
Do you think Disney is making the right decision by changing its transportation rules?
